Avoiding crime and fraud in international trade

If you're under threat of fraud or if you become aware of a crime - whether against you or not - you should report it.

If a business owes you money unlawfully or you suspect one of its members of criminal activity, contact the Insolvency Service.

As a first step, call the local police. You can find contact details for your local police station.

Action Fraud is a central point of contact to call and get help if you have been a victim of fraud. Report a fraud online with Action Fraud.

The police can help with all types of international trade crime except fraudulent imports of intellectual property, in which case you should contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The police deal with the theft of goods, extortion, fraud, and the smuggling of drugs, excise goods and people.

You should then call your insurers without delay. Insurers, particularly those dealing with international trade, will provide you with valuable assistance and in many countries will work with the police to process your claim.

If you suspect you're the victim of organised crime, you should contact the police. If you're feeling intimidated, bear in mind the police are improving the way they protect victims of crime.

It's a good idea to contact your local trade association for crime-fighting advice.

If you're the victim of freight crime, you can contact transport trade associations for help.

Trade in some goods, including drugs, firearms, wildlife, weaponry and strategic goods, is restricted. Trading in some goods is illegal. You can view a list of banned and controlled goods.

If you suspect banned or restricted goods are entering or leaving the UK illegally, call the police. They have powers to seize goods and prosecute criminal traders.

Money laundering: how to make a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR)

If you suspect money laundering, submitting a SAR to the NCA means that you will be complying with the PCA 2002 or the Terrorism Act 2000.

A SAR alerts law enforcement officers that some of your client/customer activity appears suspicious and might indicate money laundering, terrorist financing or proliferation. Submitting a SAR provides valuable information on potential crime as well protecting you, your firm and UK financial institutions from the risk of laundering the proceeds of crime, terrorist financing or proliferation.

Obtain consent

Where persons or businesses have concerns about a proposed transaction or other business activity they plan to undertake in the future, the law provides a defence against potential money-laundering charges if they have first submitted a SAR asking the NCA’s UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) for consent. Where consent is sought the NCA has 7 working days to respond. If consent is refused the transaction or activity must not proceed. Law enforcement action should take place within 31 calendar days of a decision to refuse. If it becomes clear at any time that this planned activity cannot be undertaken within the 31 days, the NCA will inform the reporter. Please note that the NCA’S consent to undertake the activity does not automatically mean the funds or the activity is not linked to criminality. Any future suspicion on the same client or activity should be considered on its own merits, and not set aside because the NCA granted consent to a previous submission.

Guidance and support

The preferred method for submitting SARs is via the NCA’s SAR Online system. The NCA also has a helpdesk to help you to submit SARs, available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). If you need help submitting a SAR, via SAR Online or by other means,  please call UKFIU - SAR Control on Telephone: 020 7238 8282 and select option ‘3’ from the menu.

Sources of help and support in managing international crime and fraud

As a trader, there are several sources of information and practical support to help you safeguard your business against crime. As a first step, it’s a good idea to contact your trade association or seek advice from your freight forwarder or customs agent.

Prevent crime

You should try to keep up to date with the latest scams and stings. You can view fraud updates. You can also see the latest news on card fraud.

The key source of crime prevention, support and prosecution in the UK is the Police. You can find your nearest police force on the Police Information website.

Sources of help

If you’re the victim of international trading crime, key government organisations may also be able to help you. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigates international fraud.

Action Fraud is a new UK point of contact to call and get help if you have been a victim of fraud. Report a fraud online on the Action Fraud website.

You can contact Company Investigations if you suspect serious misconduct, fraud, scams or sharp practice in the way a company operates.

The NCA’s statutory remit, as provided in its founding legislation, the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCAP), consists of preventing and detecting serious organised crime and contributing to the reduction of such crime in other ways and to the mitigation of its consequences. The NCA’s strategic priorities as set by the Home Secretary are Class A drugs, organised immigration crime, non-fiscal fraud, cyber crime and firearms. The NCA is also working to target and recover criminal finances and profits generated by unlawful conduct.

The UK Financial Intelligence Unit is part of the NCA’s Strategy and Prevention Group and has national responsibility for the financial intelligence submitted through the Suspicious Activity Reporting regime.

Overseas Security Information for Business (OSIB) provides security related information to British business.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency and the Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to exercise the functions they currently undertake in partnership with existing UK agencies.

HMRC is responsible for preventing and detecting illegal import and export of controlled drugs, the investigation of organisations and individuals engaged in international drug smuggling, their prosecution and identification of the proceeds of such crime.

HMRC works with the police and other agencies at home and abroad. The Maritime Branch is responsible for marine operations to detect and stop traffic by sea and for developing international cooperation in this field. The HMRC Law Enforcement division is also responsible for the management of the HMRC Drugs Liaison Officer network and for operational intelligence resources.

While traders may not deal directly with UK or EU organisations, key agencies are implementing plans to reduce trade and crime in international trade. Customs cooperate with each other, and the UK and EU has a dedicated police service, Europol. Shared laws and trade processes make this easier within the UK and countries of the EU.